Equivalent nVidia card to this AMD one

By Ryster
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Shane Nokes

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NO, it's not valid, because you can't get it through your head Nvidia (or any other company) does NOT have to provide WHQL drivers for an OS that is not publicly available to the consumers yet. Do you really think Nvidia won't have WHQL drivers leading right up to the W8 release (W8 release is October 26th)? Of course they will, they have already gained Windows 8 driver certification! If OP does decide to switch to Nvidia, then great, they won't have to worry about drivers for W8. You're not reading my posts completely, and just trying to toss in useless facts about ATI (AMD), and trying to turn this thread into Nvidia vs. ATI. Bottom line is, Nvidia WILL have drivers for Windows 8. Good luck to whatever path you take OP.

I didn't say they had to. The OP, you know the person who started this thread and is the person who is asking for information, the most important person in this thread...had stated that they were thinking about not switching due to a lack of nVidia WHQL drivers.

I did not make that my condition. They made it theirs. So I pointed out to them that AMD does indeed already have WHQL drivers since it seemed important to them...the person who started this thread and wanted the advice.

I use cards based on both companies designs and couldn't care less about which vendor they choose. I was trying to serve the interests of the original poster as of their most recent post. Once again THEIR questions and feelings in this thread are the most important since they started the thread. Should I just ignore their posting stating that they might not switch just because you want me to? I don't think so.

Does that clear it up?

Also I wasn't the one making it about one vs the other. Vice is the one who started bringing up all the AMD vs nVidia stuff. This is why I'm done with this thread. I answered your query now just as I answered his.

Further derailment and flat out making stuff up that I did not say is not necessary, nor welcome.

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Vice

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Also I wasn't the one making it about one vs the other. Vice is the one who started bringing up all the AMD vs nVidia stuff. This is why I'm done with this thread. I answered your query now just as I answered his.

Further derailment and flat out making stuff up that I did not say is not necessary, nor welcome.

I was merely informing you as to why NVIDIA does not yet have a WHQL driver. To deliver a new release they need to verify 5 different drivers and the accompanying software while simultaneously launching a new graphics card a week ago which means they need to start verification later to include that card (The GTX 660 Ti).

Even modifying one file in the driver bundle to include an extra GPU (inf editing basically) voids the WHQL certificate meaning NVIDIA couldn't simply verify a driver and then add the GTX 660 Ti's ID to it. You also need to consider that each time you verify a driver it takes time and money, $250 per driver, per operating system. This is why NVIDIA releases so many beta drivers to get support for new cards out as soon as possible while WHQL certification is waiting.

Fact is NVIDIA do have a Windows 8 Beta driver out and it really doesn't matter if it has WHQL or not. And although you are correct that the OP had reservations that NVIDIA didn't have a WHQL driver available he was more dismayed that he was unable to find any driver (beta or not). We told him a beta Windows 8 driver was available which is good enough.

When I presented facts to backup what I said (which you asked me to do) you decided to "leave" the thread. Because you knew that I had provided proof for everything I said and you were unable to refute any of it. I have ATi cards in my Server and HTPC and I had one in my older notebook, I'm no stranger to their drivers or hardware.

Also for the record, AMD makes great graphics cards and I would be happy to use a HD 7970 in my own rig, god knows it's much faster and more power efficient than the GTX 480's I'm currently using.

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Shane Nokes

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I was merely informing you as to why NVIDIA does not yet have a WHQL driver. To deliver a new release they need to verify 5 different drivers and the accompanying software while simultaneously launching a new graphics card a week ago which means they need to start verification later to include that card (The GTX 660 Ti).

Even modifying one file in the driver bundle to include an extra GPU (inf editing basically) voids the WHQL certificate meaning NVIDIA couldn't simply verify a driver and then add the GTX 660 Ti's ID to it. You also need to consider that each time you verify a driver it takes time and money, $250 per driver, per operating system. This is why NVIDIA releases so many beta drivers to get support for new cards out as soon as possible while WHQL certification is waiting.

Fact is NVIDIA do have a Windows 8 Beta driver out and it really doesn't matter if it has WHQL or not. And although you are correct that the OP had reservations that NVIDIA didn't have a WHQL driver available he was more dismayed that he was unable to find any driver (beta or not). We told him a beta Windows 8 driver was available which is good enough.

When I presented facts to backup what I said (which you asked me to do) you decided to "leave" the thread. Because you knew that I had provided proof for everything I said and you were unable to refute any of it. I have ATi cards in my Server and HTPC and I had one in my older notebook, I'm no stranger to their drivers or hardware.

Also for the record, AMD makes great graphics cards and I would be happy to use a HD 7970 in my own rig, god knows it's much faster and more power efficient than the GTX 480's I'm currently using.

I understand why it takes them longer, and never tried to say it was a bad thing. I have no issues with companies taking longer to release their drivers. :)

My problem has been with people saying I'm trying to promote one brand over another. I was just trying to address the point the OP was making about wanting a WHQL driver. I wasn't fussed about why they wanted one, but wanted to point out AMD does indeed have one, and that they've historically been closer to MS than nVidia has when working on certain things.

I figured it was just another plus mark in their favor if the OP wanted to stick with them. As I've said I use stuff that is built on both AMD & nVidia tech. I usually end up with AMD on my desktop though, and nVidia on my mobile products. It's just how it seems to work out.

Some people have reasons why they want or have to use WHQL drivers, so when they bring it up I just point stuff out. As regards beta I tend to run a lot of beta or alpha stuff on my systems, so for me I'm not the type to shy away from that. I was just pointing out that if WHQL is what they worry about more then AMD is the only one that has a fully certified driver out there. I don't view this as a slam on any company. It's just what the situation is at the moment.

As to why I left. I could have brought up more regarding baked in GPGPU, 3D, and other functionality, but I was (and still am) trying to avoid making this a BrandX vs BrandZ type of thread. It was getting derailed by it, which never helps threads stay open and causes problems.

It's frustrating to try to point out factual information that suits the needs of the OP's query to have people try to argue against it and post feature comparisons. I wasn't trying to get the thread to go that route, but to provide simple help.

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Shane Nokes

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Ok then, I'm sorry Shane.

No worries. Sorry if I upset you in some way as that was not my intent. I just like to help people where I can. A lot of times people take it the wrong way. I've tried finding alternate ways to express things, but I don't use smiley faces often enough it seems. :p

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Vice

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To be honest the thing that made me post the way I did was your original post where you said that you stick with ATi for the reliability factor. Which although you didn't say NVIDIA are less reliable it sounds like that is what you are saying. So I instantly thought that you were trying to persuade him to stick with his ATi card, but that wasn't the case so I apologize for being so defensive in my replies later in the thread to you, sometimes I get carried away.

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Shane Nokes

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To be honest the thing that made me post the way I did was your original post where you said that you stick with ATi for the reliability factor. Which although you didn't say NVIDIA are less reliable it sounds like that is what you are saying. So I instantly thought that you were trying to persuade him to stick with his ATi card, but that wasn't the case so I apologize for being so defensive in my replies later in the thread to you, sometimes I get carried away.

No worries. :)

Back when they were ATi and actually built their own graphics cards (years and years ago) I would have used that as a selling point (reliability) but that's no longer the case. These days I go more off what the poster wants and try to point them to what they want.

I personally want to see both nVidia and AMD starting to make their own hardware again, because personally who better to build a final product than the actual hardware company that builds the reference boards?

Enough from me on this though... ;)

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Ryster

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...because the OP is wrong. There are beta drivers from Nvidia that support Windows 8.

Hang on a minute. I'm not wrong. The nVidia website is wrong.

Oh and Vice and Supersonic, thanks for turning my thread into a flame war lol. All I said was that I was concerned that nVidia shows NO (not even beta) drivers on their website for the 660Ti. That's all. If there are beta drivers available, and I take your word that there are, then why are they not listed under beta drivers on the website?

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Shane Nokes

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nVIDIA have WHQL drivers for Windows 8 (http://www.nvidia.co...-driver-uk.html) and they had it before AMD. The 660Ti is however newer than both those drivers and Windows 8, but come with drivers supplied on the disc and IIRC nVIDIA are going to release new drivers any day now.

...and I quote from that site "...to be used only with the Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview"

The AMD drivers are for RTM, not RP. This is neither here nor there at this point since nVidia JUST released new drivers this morning :)

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win8-win7-winvista-64bit-306.02-certified-driver.html

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Ryster

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The AMD drivers are for RTM, not RP. This is neither here nor there at this point since nVidia JUST released new drivers this morning :)

Ok then, they must've heard me :)

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giantpotato

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While all this talk of drivers is exciting :rolleyes:, To get back to OP's post, If you're going to be playing 3D you will want a more powerful card, not one that is equivalent. You will get lower frame rates in 3D compared to 2D. Also, there are 3D solutions for ATi. I personally have a LG 3D monitor that is compatible with any brand graphics card. I would look for a solution that is GPU-independent instead of getting locked into one brand.

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Ryster

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Just thought that I'd update you that I've bought a new card. Went for the 670 in the end, but an OC version. As below:

post-64792-0-00187700-1346714596.jpg

KFA2 GeForce GTX 670 EX OC 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card

Store Page: http://www.overclock...rodid=GX-018-KF

Review: http://hexus.net/tec...-ex-oc/?page=12

?320 plus delivery :)

What do you think? Good choice?

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